


Sins of the Father

by Mooseonthehalfshell



Category: Star Wars Legends: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strangers to Friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-02-18 13:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21711421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mooseonthehalfshell/pseuds/Mooseonthehalfshell
Summary: (Tags will be added as story progresses)A young Mitth'raw'nuruodo is told to marry a young woman by the Mitth Family. Neither of them really want this but for honor's sake they decide they will make it work and for a while they do. To the outside world they are a perfectly happy loving couple and when its just them its just friends living together with their cat.But its not smooth sailing forever. A decree that neither Thrawn nor Vera like, exile, a rebellious son, new love, and a Mandalorian with more secrets than she lets on all must work together to keep the Ascendancy safe from a threat beyond the galaxy
Relationships: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	1. A Decision

**Author's Note:**

> This came to me yesterday and I have been brain storming and writing since.

Thrass was waiting for him when he got back to Csilla. 

"Oh Stars what did I do this time?" Thrawn asked in a teasing greeting.

"That depends what have you been up too?" Thrass countered with a roll of the eyes.

"Exactly what the Ascendancy asks of me." He muttered.

"Yeah well the Family is about to ask you something you can _not_ refuse." Thrass's voice was low and his tone warning.

"What?" Thrawn said taking a wary step back.

"I'll explain at home."

_Home_ was the little apartment that Thrawn lived in when planetside. Thrawn didn't have to much, a table with chairs, a couch that he fell asleep on more nights than he did his bed, a bookcase that was overflowing, a dresser with the few civvies he had, and a few pieces of art on the walls.

"Okay what's the Family about to ask that I can't refuse?" Thrawn asked almost before the door shut behind them.

Thrass let out an exasperated sigh. "Before I tell you promise me you won't lose it and remember I'm just the messenger, okay?"

Thrawn folded his arms and arched an eyebrow.

Thrass mirrored his movement. "Promise me."

"We're not children anymore, Thrass. Tell me."

"Fine." Thrass relented. "They have... found you a wife." 

Thrawn's expression was completely blank. "I wasn't looking for any sort of partner." His brows knitted together and he scowled. "And besides, I didn't think the Family arranged bondings for people like us. Only the higher ups."

"Well it appears you've made yourself stand out enough to facilitate this." 

_He winces, unhappy with this. His arms tighten around him. He believes it is his fault, or, he was unable to stop it._

"Well who is she?" Thrawn asked trying to convey that he wasn’t mad with Thrass.

"I don't actually know, we'll meet her later." Thrass said going to sit on the couch. "After you take a shower and get dressed in something nicer… dress uniform is probably best."

Thrawn didn't move, he was stock still by the door. His mind was going a mile a minute. Weighing his options. Debating with himself. Thrass knew he would, his brother's strategist mind never slowed. But eventually his honor to the Family won. Thrawn's shoulders slumped slightly and he sighed. Then strode off to the bathroom.

It was probably the longest shower of Thrawn's life. Most of it was just standing under the water like if he stood there long enough he would melt away down the drain. Though he understood that he needed to do this. He dried himself off and found his dress uniform.

"Hey look at that you look halfway decent and not like a feral wild man." Thrass said from his spot on the couch. His attempt at humor fell mostly flat, though Thrawn gave him a half hearted smirk.

"Well let's go." 

The ride to the Family's High House was in sullen silence. Thrass let Thrawn have it. But when they stopped Thrawn put on a brave face, he stood straight, and showed none of his displeasure at the whole situation. 

A young Syndic greeted them when they were shown in. 

"Thrass! Thrawn!" 

"Hello Thessia." Both brightening on seeing the most cheery Syndic on Csilla.

She threw her arms around both of them. "It's always so good to see my favorite big brothers." She whispered. She pulled back and enthusiastically patted Thrawn's shoulders. "And you getting bonded! So exciting! And she seems so nice!"

Thrawn half smiled half grimaced. "Thank you Thessia… but I don't know who she is."

"Oh…. Ooooooh" she murmured understanding the situation. "Well then at least they're bonding you to someone who seems very nice, and cute!"

Thessia whisked them down a hall to a cozy room. A younger woman sat with, presumably, her parents. 

_The muscles in her throat are tense, her eyes wide when the door opens. She’s afraid._ Thrawn didn’t blame her

"This is Miriv'era'ashrik," she said, gesturing to the young woman. "And this is Mitth'raw'nuruodo." She patted him on the back. Well it was part pat for good luck and part shove forward.

_Her muscles lose their tension. Her eyes are wary but not fearful anymore. I am not the nightmare she expected_

Thrawn and Vera shook hands. Her parents seemed relieved. Then Thessia ushered the rest of them out chattering about getting paperwork work done. The silence that followed their exit was awkward as Thrawn and Vera tried to look anywhere but each other.

"Sorry," she murmured nervously. "I don't mean for this to come off the wrong way, I just didn't know I was getting married til last night."

"Well that's more notice than I got," Thrawn said. "I didn't know 3 hours ago." 

"So you don't really want this either?" She asked looking up at him.

"No…I never pictured myself being bonded with anyone," he sighed. "But it's not as if we can say no."

"You're right." Vera agreed. "It's something we have to do.”

//

Thrawn and Vera spent the afternoon talking trying to get to know the person that in a few days time they would be bonded to. She had no problem guessing what he did, seeing as he showed up in his dress uniform. Vera was a teacher for younger children and she very much loved her job. She had a cat that she was bringing with her and asked if it would be an issue or if he had any pets. There would be no problem and no he didn’t. She liked the color green. 

Vera was an only child and wanted to hear all about what it was like growing up with a sibling. She genuinely laughed at the stories of him and Thrass trying to make their mother a birthday cake one year and only successfully covering themselves and the kitchen in flower, and at the one of him as a little youngling accidentally putting way too much bubbles in his bath and Thrass telling his parents on him

“So how did you get in this sort of… arrangement?” She asked.

“I’m not sure,” he replied with a shrug. “When I got back for leave my brother was waiting to drop this pile of bricks on me. Though I’m glad it seems we will at least be able to make this tolerable.”

Vera nodded “Yes that’s true, both my parents and I were more than a little worried they would bond me with some old codger who wanted a new wife." she wrinkled her nose at the thought, before giving him a small but genuine smile. “So I am glad that’s not the case.”

//

That night Vera and her parents brought over what little things she had. A box of clothes, some bedding, 2 boxes of books with another bookcase, and a box of things for her cat Sentinel who was hiding in her carrier.

As Vera and her father were sorting her books Thrawn thought it best if he made some tea. Vera’s mother approached him with a different box.

_Her fingers are tense around the box, she’s nervous._

“This is for the both of you,” It was a dining set. Thrawn mentaly winced at the thought of his 4 mismatched plates in his cupboard.

“Thank you,” he told her earnestly, taking the box and setting it on the counter. “Would you like to stay for dinner, I’m sure you must be hungry what with all the… excitement.”

She shook her head. “No we still have preparations of our own to attend to. But I wanted to ask you…” She glances through the door to make sure Vera and her father are occupied. “Please take care of our Vera. She’s our whole world. We just want to make sure she’ll be okay.”

Thrawn patted his, almost, mother-in-law’s hand. “I promise. This may not be what she or I would necessarily want but I would never cause her any harm.”

She gave his hand a squeeze and wiped the tear out of her eye. “Thank you.”

After her parents left Thrawn set about making dinner and Vera sat at the table grading some of her students’ work. Thrawn felt something rub up against his legs. He looked down to see who could only be Sentinel. She was a tiny kitten with a thick glossy blue black coat and big bright copper eyes. And meowed up at him. Loudly.

Thrawn, patted her head. “I don’t know if you can eat this, this is people food.”

After dinner, which Vera said was the best she’s had in a long time, Thrawn helped Vera make room for her clothes. Not that it was difficult with how little they both had.

“You can take the bed.” He told her. 

“Are you sure? This is your house.” She asked, seemingly taken aback.

“This is your house now too,” He reminded her with a soft smile. “I usually end up falling asleep on the couch anyway.”

She seemed unsure, and Thrawn took one of her hands. “Hey, Vera. Its okay, honestly.”

“It's not just a weird sleeping arrangement Thrawn.” she said. “It’s this whole thing.”

“We will make it work.” He promised. “It will be weird at first, but we seem like we’ll get along so it won’t be hell to live with each other.”

She squeezed his hand “You’re right. This could be a whole lot worse. And honestly you’re probably the best outcome that I could have gotten.” she giggled as Sentinel tried to climb up Thrawn’s shirt. “And Sentinel seems to like you so that’s good.”

That night Thrawn fell asleep reading as usual. When he woke up at his usual ridiculously early hour he found not only had Sentinel curled up in the crook of his arm but his book had its bookmark and was set on the table and someone had covered him in a blanket he did not remember owning. He lay there a moment utterly confused. Before the events of the previous day came back to him, and he realized Vera must had done it. He smiled, she seemed very sweet.

He hadn’t even finished his first cup of caf when someone began to knock rather irritably at his front door


	2. The Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is just Chapter 1 but Vera's side of the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to show that Vera was actually kind of scared of the whole thing and also wanted to start poking at somethings about Vera's past that will come in later.

Miriv'era'ashrik didn't think it was going to be a day that would change her life when she closed her classroom door. She thought it would be a normal night.

Then she saw the 6 missed coms from her mother, all within the last hour.

Fear rising she called her mother back.

"Mama! What's going on?" She asked as soon as her mother answered.

"Its better if you just come over." Her mother sounded nervous but not distressed. 

"At least tell me if you and Papa are okay." 

"Yes, yes, sweetie we're just fine." Her mother laughed. "Just come over right away."

  
  


//

Vera didn't recognize the man in her parents' living room. 

"Mama what's going on?" she hissed as her mother hugged her.

"Come see for yourself," was all her mother said.

Mitth'eati'safis is what he said his name was but Vera would be surprised that she remembered his name. Not after the news he brought.

"Bonded?" She blinked at him. "To who? And what value would the Mitth Family see in me getting bonded to one of theirs, I'm just a schoolteacher?" 

"I'm sorry Miss," he said with a shrug. "I don't have the details. It was all approved by the Matchmaker. I'm just a messenger. You will get to meet him tomorrow."

"But why me?" She asked again looking through the datapad she'd been given, as if it would have the answers she knew it wouldn't, it was just files telling her how her life was getting turned upside down.

"I don't know." He shrugged again. "Maybe he requested you."

That thought turned her blood to ice; she had very few interactions with the men from the Mitth Family, even fewer ones that were any sort of pleasant.

He left. And Vera sat in the living room in a shell shocked silence. 

_ Bonded… and to stars know who. _

She declined her parents' invitation to stay for dinner.

On her way home she told her 2 cousins to come over to her place. She also stopped to buy some wine. Several bottles.

Vetra and Vellis were there almost before Vera could get her shoes off. 

Vellis was beside herself. "You only call us over when it's big! What's the occasion?"

Vetra saw the look on Vera's face. "Vera what's wrong?"

"I'm getting bonded in a few days." she hissed opening one of the bottles and taking a long swig from it.

“To who?” Vetra asked.

“Some man from the Mitth family.” she said waving them into the kitchen.

“What’s he like?” Vellis probed. “What’s his name? Is he handsome!!?”

“I don’t know… I meet him tomorrow.”

“They didn’t even tell you his name?” 

“Their messenger didn’t ‘have the details’.” She scoffed. “He only knew to show up at my parents house to tell them, and that it had all been approved by Keelah.”

Vellis’s squeal at the mention of the Matchmaker’s name caught the other two off guard. 

“Vetra, if the Matchmaker approved a bonding for Vera there might be eyes on the family.  _ WE _ could be next.”

“I don’t follow. Why you seem so excited at the idea?”

“She might bring someone wonderful! Someone interesting. And well off.”

“Someone important.” Vetra added understanding.

Vellis and Vetra bloomed smiles and sang “Matchmaker, Matchmaker, look through your book, and make me a perfect match!”

Vera rolled her eyes and pulled a tin of cat food out for Sentinel. But they continued to sing.

“Matchmaker, Matchmaker I'll bring the veil, you bring the groom, slender and pale. Bring me a ring for I'm longing to be, the envy of all I see. For Papa, make him a scholar. For mama, make him rich as a king. For me, well, I wouldn't holler if he were as handsome as anything.” They were laughing as if they’d be happy to be in that position; bound to some stranger for the rest of their lives.

Vera was in disbelief. They had no idea what they were talking about. What kind of specialized hell they could be wishing on themselves 

“Since when are you in a match, Vetra? I thought you only had an eye for numbers.”

Vellis laughed before Vera rounded on her “And you have your eye on an Aristocra's son.”

“So?” Vellis countered “Why not? He’s an Aristocra’s son, why shouldn't I want the best?”

Vera growled. “Because you're a girl from an unimportant family. So whatever Keelah lets you have you’ll take with your head held high to honor your family for the good of the Ascendancy!”

They both seemed to deflate. Maybe it was the, already, half a bottle she’d drank but Vera wanted to drive the point home. She tried her very best impression of the Matchmaker, whose praises they had, literally, been singing.

“Vetra, Oh Vetra, have I made a match for you! He's handsome, he's young! Alright, he's 62. But he's a nice man, a good catch, true? True. I promise you'll be happy, and even if you're not,” She shrugged apathetically “there's more to life than that don't ask me what.”

Vetra looked down at her feet as Vera turned to shake the wine bottle at Vellis.

“Vellis, I found him; won't you be a lucky bride! He's handsome, he's tall, that is from side to side. But he's a nice man, a good catch, right? Right.” She leaned close as if to tell her cousin a secret. “You heard he has a temper. He'll beat you every night, But only when he's sober, so you'll alright.”

Vellis winced. 

“Did you think you'd get a prince?” Vera asked, impression thrown aside, and wine bottle now empty. “You could end up with someone who hates you! Who doesn't care about you at all. And you’d have no control over when it happens or where you’ll live.” 

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes and she turned away from them and tried to focus on getting Sentinel's food.

"Matchmaker, Matchmaker, You know that I'm still very young. Please, take your time." Vellis clasped her hands together as if in prayer. "Up to this minute, I misunderstood That I could get stuck for good."

  
  


"Dear Keela, See that he's gentle remember, You were also a bride. It's not that we're sentimental It's just that we're terrified." Vetra finished and Vera couldn't help but think she meant they were hoping they were praying that for her, even though her fate had already been sealed, her match already made.

The three of them finished off the second bottle trying to guess who Vera was being bonded to. But they had no idea where to even start, that had no information whatsoever on him. 

They offered to stay with her that night if she wanted but Vera waved them off. When they were gone Vera got the little chest down from her closet. She needed to keep somethings a secret from her soon to be husband, even if he ended up being the sweetest man in the Ascendancy. The less he would know the safer he, and the quaint facade she'd built be safe.

She set the chest on her bed and began to gather things she needed to hide in it. Some old datapads of information from her desk, a selection of security pass cards from under her socks, several kinds of knives from under the bed, the blaster from her bedside table, and the uniform from the back of her closet.

The uniform was plain. Sure if you looked at it you could tell it was a military uniform but as if any of the usual Expansionary or Defense Fleet identifying patches had been forgotten. In fact there was no identifier to signify that it was a Chiss uniform. The only things on the uniform were crescent moons embroidered in pale blue on the upper arms and three blue stars on either side of the high collar.

“It was for the good of the Ascendancy.” She murmured to the tunic. “Right?” the stars on the collar seemed to shimmer ominously up at her in response. 

She folded the uniform and packed it away in the chest followed by the knives and blaster, setting the datapads and pass cards on top of it all. Vera thought about putting the last of her secrets in there as well but felt that last piece was hidden enough in the false bottom of her jewelry box and closed the chest.

Sentinel had been watching her with those big, intense copper eyes and meowed once the lid was closed.

“Alright Senny, big day tomorrow I guess,” she said scooping up the fluff ball. “Best try to get some sleep.”

Sleep was fitful but she managed to get a few hours in before her alarm went off. 

She sat at the kitchen table and drank a whole pot of caf before her brain stopped the swirling anxiety to remind her to at least eat some toast. 

Not long after she took a shower her parents showed up. And despite the comforting presence of her parents, the ever growing list of ways this whole dumb arranged bonding could go wrong kept the knot of anxiety in her stomach, tightening as they started packing some of her things up.

The ride to the Mitth Family High House felt like the longest ever. But she took the time to remind herself that he might not be terrible they might even get along.

The bubbly Syndic that greeted them helped ease Vera’s fear a little, but as she sat and waited for her soon to be husband to arrive the fear started to crawl back up her throat.

She didn’t know how long they’d been sitting there when the door finally opened again. The same bubbly Syndic showed two young men in and introduced the one in the military uniform as Mitth’raw’nuruodo.

Vera felt herself relax a little and as they shook hands found herself thinking that at least he was quite handsome.

When they were left alone and found out that neither of them were too keen on the idea of being bonded Vera found Thrawn rather easy to talk to, though maybe that was  _ because _ he wasn't pleased with this either. 

//

That night she and her parents brought her things over to Thrawn’s apartment. Sentinel hid in her carrier until well after her parents left, but then stalwartly refused to leave the man alone. Which helped Vera relax a little; Sentinel always seemed to be a good judge of character.

After dinner Thrawn helped make space for her clothes, and then to Vera’s surprise told her to take the bed.

“Are you sure? T his is your house.” She asked, feeling almost like an intruder at this point.

“This is your house now too,” He reminded her. He had a nice smile. 

“I usually end up falling asleep on the couch anyway.”

She chewed on her lip and wrung her hands, this whole situation still had her head spinning.

“Hey, Vera. Its okay, honestly." The earnestness in his voice caught her off guard. As did how gentle his hand felt on hers.

“It's not just a weird sleeping arrangement Thrawn.” she said. “It’s this whole thing.”

“We will make it work.” He promised. “It will be weird at first, but we seem like we’ll get along so it won’t be hell to live with each other.”

She squeezed his hand “You’re right. This could be a whole lot worse. And honestly you’re probably the best outcome that I could have gotten.” she giggled as Sentinel tried to climb up Thrawn’s shirt. “And Sentinel seems to like you so that’s good.”

She had meant that Thrawn was the best outcome she could have gotten. He didn't want this either but just like her he was willing to deal with it because that's what you did with arranged bondings. He had so far been very nice, gentlemanly even. And as she lay in bed trying to wrap her mind around this fully she did admit to herself that part of her was more than pleased that he was very handsome, and uniform he had worn only accentuated that. But more than anything she was relieved that she could very much see them at least becoming friends so that the rest of their lives wouldn't be spent stuck with someone who drove them crazy.

She got up to go to the bathroom and noticed the light in the living room was still on.

True to his word Thrawn was out cold on the couch. She took the book he had fallen asleep with out of his hand and put it on the table before grabbing one of the blankets still sitting in the box in the corner and draped it over him. She smiled as Sentinel bounced up on to the couch and snuggled up to her new best friend.

She got a little more sleep than the previous night but was woken up by the sound of someone knocking rather insistently on the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also sorry to anyone who's not a fan of Fiddler on the Roof who read through Vetra, Vellis, and Vera's rendition of Matchmaker, Matchmater.
> 
> Sorry also to anyone who rolled their eyes at my Mass Effect references, but I will not be stopped.


	3. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day before their bonding Thrawn and Vera get information that leads them to believe there might be something more sinister to their predicament.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chiss play hockey.... dont @ me tho if you do want to at me my twitter is @mooseontheshell

Thrawn answered the door looking like he just rolled out of bed (which wasn't completely wrong); hair a mess, in just his sweatpants,and with his cup of caf in hand.

Ar'alani was the one knocking, at this point rather incessantly, on his door.

He barely got out his greeting before she pushed passed him.

"What did you do?" Ar'alani hissed at him.

"Please elaborate." He said taking another sip.

"I got a message this morning saying my presence is 'very much requested' at the Mitth Family High House tomorrow."

"Oh that," he said walking over to pour himself another cup of caf and one each for both Ar'alani and Vera.

" 'OH THAT'?!" Ar'alani balked at him. "Who did you piss off with your smart mouth?"

"Lani I-"

"What rule did you loophole?"

"Calm down its not-"

"What did you -"

"LANI!!" He hollered just to get her to stop. “I'm not in trouble, I'm getting bonded.  _ I _ wanted you to be there because you are my friend."

She stared at him as he handed her the cup with caf and the cream. 

"You're… really?" She asked taking the cup. "To who?"

Thrawn nodded to the doorway to the living room where Vera was standing. 

"Do you want caf, Vera?" He asked.

"Please." She said with a yawn.

"Anything in it?"

"Cream and sugar please."

After handing her the cup, Thrawn gestured to Ar'alani. "Vera this is my very good friend Ar'alani, she's helped get me out of quite a few difficult situations. Lani this is Vera, my… almost wife."

_ Almost wife _ the words tasted strange.

Vera and Ar'alani shook hands.

"So when did you two meet?" Lani asked, making it painfully obvious her small talk skills weren't her best.

"Yesterday." They said in unison. 

"Oh."

The word hung in the awkward silence as they drank their caf.

"So will you come tomorrow? " Thrawn asked.

Ar'alani almost scoffed into her caf "Of course I will. You may be the biggest thorn in my side. But you're my friend. I'd even go so far as to say you're an annoying little brother." She took a final sip and put her cup in the sink. "Besides someone has to keep Thrass from being… well Thrass."

Thrawn snickered.

"And Vera it was very nice to meet you," she threw Thrawn a look. "And if you ever need help keeping this one in line let me know."

Vera smiled "Thank you. It was very nice meeting you as well."

"Did you sleep alright?" He asked once Ar'alani left.

"More or less." Vera said sitting down at the table. "It's always strange sleeping in a new place for the first time."

Thrawn nodded and set about making breakfast.

//

They sat together at the table after breakfast, Thrawn had a few reports to write and send and Vera needed to finish the grading she started the previous night. 

The silence between them slowly lost its awkwardness, and, while they weren't quite ready to say it, they both liked having someone else there.

Thrass came over about noon with lunch.

"Oookay so for tomorrow." He sighed sitting down. "What were you two planning?"

Thrawn and Vera traded a look. 

"Planning?"

Thrass pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're acting like we had any sort of agency in this!" Thrawn snapped at his brother. "Vera and I have known each other for hardly a day. We've barely come to terms that we are less than a day away from being bondmates. So it's not like we got into the details. At least not beyond- get up early, Vera's parents are bringing her dress over, we get ready, go fill out our portion of the paperwork, and from then on we assume it's out of our hands anyway."

Thrawn's face was flushed with anger, as he stared as Thrass as if daring him to say something.

Vera reached across the table to take hold of one of Thrawn's hands like he'd done for her the night before.

"Thrawn… it's not his fault." She soothed. "And getting angry at him isn't going to help anything."

Thrawn gave her hand a little squeeze and let his anger dissipate. 

"You are right."

"And I'm sorry," Thrass said "I can imagine this is… a lot. And you're right. You two didn't have much time to decide anything, I phrased that poorly."

He took a breath. "Vera, you have a dress?"

She nodded. "It's my favorite, really the only dress I have that's nice enough. My mother was nice enough to take it to get cleaned and pressed today."

Thrass nodded. "What are you wearing Thrawn?"

"My dress uniform," he shrugged. "Its all I really have."

Thrass nodded. "People you want to come?"

"My family- parents, aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins." Vera said "I don't really have anyone else. My parents might have invited some family friends."

  
  


"And I told Lani… she stopped by earlier." Thrawn said with the barest of smirks.

"No one else?"

"Friends from the Academy."

“The Team I’m guessing.” Thrass said with another nod and a subtle roll of his eyes. "Okay. Shouldn't be too many people but the Family did post it so there may be others that show up."

"Fantastic." Vera deadpanned sarcastically.

"It's strange actually." Thrass added thoughtfully. "They've been acting like you two aren't being arranged. Or at least like they don't want it to seem like you've been arranged."

Thrawn and Vera exchanged confused looks before turning back to Thrass. "Why?"

Thrass shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest. But I'll see if I can find anything out."

Thrawn and Vera murmured a 'thanks'.

Thrass stared at the two of them for a moment. "Will you two be okay?"

Thrawn looked to Vera and shrugged. "If we can survive tomorrow, perhaps."

Vera smirked. "That's the truth."

Thrass snorted. "Thrawn you've been in fire fights… you're afraid of a party."

"Ones that are centered around me that I don't necessarily want? In a way yes." 

Thrass rolled his eyes. "Are you afraid of parties too Vera?"

She laughed. "Maybe a little. I'm not comfortable being the center of attention with adults."

_ I was trained not to. _ She added to herself, though as she did she felt Thrawn's eyes studying her.

"They should have given you two more time to deal, get used to this if they wanted it to seem like this wasn't arranged."

"No time." Thrawn said leaning back in his chair. "I'm only on leave for a week."

Thrass shook his head. "Check your messages they extended it. I was told before I came over."

Thrawn grabbed his datapad. " 'Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, on behalf of the Navy of the Chiss Ascendancy I extend congratulations to you and Miss. Miriv'era'ashrik on your bonding. On file we have that you are currently scheduled for a week long leave. We have extended that for you an additional two weeks so you may spend time with your new bondmate.'...." he blinked. "Interesting. The Navy doesn't know its arranged either."

"Something's off with all this." Vera said folding her arms. "It feels wrong."

"Agreed." Thrawn looking up at his brother. "You'll tell us what you can right?"

"Of course." Thrass said picking up his bag. "I'll see you two in the morning."

//

Neither Thrawn nor Vera were hungry enough to eat dinner. They sat reading in the living room trying not to think about the following day. Sentinel sat between them for optimal petting opportunities.

Thrawn suddenly sat up straight after looking at his chrono.

"Do you like hockey?" He asked grabbing the vidscreen remote.

"Oh yeah." Vera said setting aside her book.

"Excellent!" He said turning the vidscreen on. "The Corpero Nexus are playing the Sposia Rancors."

"Ooo the Nexus are my team!" She said tucking her feet excitedly underneath her on the couch."

Thrawn smiled. "Mine too! I played hockey all the way up throughout my time in the Academy, still sometimes play with my old team for fun. But there as a part of me up until I got into the Academy that hoped I'd one day play for them."

Vera smiled, he was starting to relax a little around her, it was… nice. 

The game was one of the best in the season so far. The Nexus won in a landslide. And the win had, for a moment, made them forget about the stress of the next day. 

But not for long. 

They had both gone to bed, knowing they'd need to be up early. But neither could sleep. Vera was tossing and turning and she could hear Thrawn pacing in the other room. She lay there listening.

She knew he was just as out of sorts as she was, but his footsteps didn’t reflect that- even, sure, controlled. Methodical footfalls from by the window across the floor to infront of that painting in red and purples. 4 steps each way and then the gentle rustle of him turning on his heel and then the same measured steps back. She counted his long steps from window to painting, painting to window.

1,2,3,4 swish 1,2,3,4 swish

But then the footsteps didn't stop till she counted 9. There was a pause. And a timid knock at the door.

"Are you still awake?"

"Yes."

A pause. "Can I come in?"

Vera swung her legs to the edge of the bed and sat up. "Sure."

Thrawn nudged the door open and with those same even, methodical steps paced in front of the dresser. "I've been thinking about tomorrow."

"Shocking…" she teased. "Anything in specific?"

He nodded. "What Thrass was saying."

"About everyone acting like this was our decision?"

"Precisely."

"Specifics?"

Thrawn stopped his pacing and leaned against the dresser in the perfect spot to keep Vera from seeing herself in the mirror. The part of her brain that was conditioned to be wary screamed at her that he did it on purpose so she couldn’t see herself so she couldn’t keep the tells of lying off her face. But she shook the thought away, there was no need to lie to Thrawn.

“What if someone put us together for a reason.” He offered. “Perhaps to get revenge? I know I haven’t exactly been everyone’s favorite up the chain of command.”

“Okay so you ruffled some feathers up so they stick you in a bonding because they know you don't want one." She said following the logic. "Why me?"

"That's the part I don't know." He said resuming his pacing. "The only thing I can think of is if you… ‘ruffled similar feathers’. So have you gotten on some Admiral's bad side?"

She flopped back onto the bed thinking. "Not that would have caused this sort of backlash."

Thrawn sat on the other side of the bed, shoulders hunched and his head in his hands.

"But," she said as a memory came to her. "There was a slime ball who pursued me VICIOUSLY. But I refused to give him the time of day. I told his sister to make him back off. He did but I don't think he ever let it go. His name was Feren."

Thrawn made a noise of disgust. "I know him. I convinced the Admiralty he was unfit for command. He got relegated to guard duties because he  _ is _ an adept fighter just not suited to lead." He sighed. "And his sister just recently got bonded to an Aristocra's son, Mitth'adik'safis. A close friend of my brother."

"So Feren goes to Thadiks says an old friend of his is in love with a commander in the navy but that there's a worry that for whatever reason their bonding won't get approved can he please see if there's anything he can do." Vera walked herself through it all out loud. "Thadiks finds out that the navy commander is the brother of a dear friend, so of course he gets it pushed through. And ta da now we're here."

"That's what I assume." Thrawn said leaning back onto to bed. "I do not, however, see what nets out of this."

Vera pressed her fingers into her eyes at the stupidity. "Probably a laugh because he thinks he's made us miserable. He's an idiot and probably assumed we'd hate each other for some reason and therefore he ruined our lives as we did his."

"That is quite presumptuous and short sighted of him."

Vera laughed at the stoicness in his tone. "It is but how do we deal with this?"

Thrawn was quiet for a long moment, long enough for Vera to roll over on to her side to see if he'd fallen asleep. He hadn't but seemed to be having a staring contest with the ceiling. 

"We have to figure out if that is what happened. We could be wrong, missing some piece or something. There could be something more

… dangerous going on that we don't realize."

"Fair." She couldn't argue with his reasoning. "What do we do until then?"

His brow furrowed. "Unfortunately I think we have to play along at least in front of others."

Vera sighed and rolled back onto her back. "Because we need to save face for our families and if we don't whoever is pulling the strings will know we know something is up?"

"And if it's something more than Feren being childish and petty we may lose valuable time to prepare for whatever it is."

Vera hummed her understanding and went to say something but instead she yawned.

Thrawn yawned too and the both snickered. 

"We need to be up in a few hours." He said.

"We should try to get some sleep." She added letting her eyes drift closed.

"Indeed." He agreed, it was more yawn than a word.

They were both too tired to move or to care that they were too tired to move.

They were both out in minutes 


	4. Meeting Thrawn's Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrawn has some explaining to do about his parentage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long and is so short life's been weird (even before the lockdown and after I've been hella tired bc I'm "essential")
> 
> Ill try to get chapter 5 up asap but it might be a while as I need t find a new place to live.

Thrawn woke up before the alarm. He rolled over onto his side coming nose to nose with Sentinel who had flopped herself out in the space between him and Vera. Stretching she showed her claws before retracting them and patting his face with her soft paw pads. Thrawn chuckled and scooped her up into his arms as he sat up. 

He looked over to where Vera was still sleeping. She was curled on her side. She seemed troubled; her lips tugged down in a frown and her brow furrowed. He wondered what was distressing her. 

Sentinel mewed up at him and mushed her face against his hand. Scratching behind her ears he got up to make some caf. If any day they would need it, it was today.

Everything seemed so quiet to the point the caf maker seemed thunderous. Sentinel sat on his shoulder like a fidgety gargoyle as he poured out two cups.

Vera was blinking herself awake when Thrawn came back, caf in hand. He held her cup out to her and she thanked him with a nod. They sat on the bed in silence, letting their caf wake them up. And the weight of the day settle in.

"This is really happening isn't it?" She said at last.

He nodded. "It is. Even if it still does not feel quite… real."

"Did we anger Fate in some way?" Or are we just unlucky?"

Thrawn laughed sardonically "It very well may be both."

Vera stood with a sigh. "I should take a shower… give me enough time to do  _ something  _ with my hair."

Vera tried not to think about what today was, now more worried about being the center of attention than anything else. She had made peace with the fact that Thrawn was going to be her bondmate. She may not be in love with him but she had no problem imagining that she'd like him once they got to know each other better. She could handle hanging out with a friend for the rest of her life.

She was drying her hair when she heard the door chime. She wondered whether it was her parents or Thrawn's brother.

After a moment Thrawn's muffled voice turned exasperated. So it was probably Thrass. She threw her hair up in the towel and went to see what they were arguing about now.

"--- mean you didn't tell her?" Thrass was saying.

"It didn't come up." Thrawn explained. "And it's not something that seems appropriate to just  _ say _ ."

"If it's an issue I can leave." A male voice Vera didn't recognize said.

"No no it's fine I would have to tell her at some point, sooner is probably better."

"Tell me what Thrawn?" Vera said, strutting into the living room and then damn near squeaked in surprise. "Aristocra?!"

"This is Aristocra Mitth'esil'inrokini." Thrawn introduced quickly as Vera blushed violet. "He is, for all intents and purposes, our father."

"' _ All intents and purposes _ '," Vera repeated trying not to be embarrassed in front of an Aristocra in her pajamas and her hair in a towel. "What do you mean?"

"He’s not biologically our father." Thrass pipped up. "And I think on paper you were just our 'legal guardian'."

"And the Syndics hated even that." The Aristocra said, smirking. "Always reminding me that you two weren't  _ actually _ my sons and that I should stop saying you were."

"Not that it actually stopped you." Thrass pointed out.

"True," Thrawn added. "It was always 'these are my boys Thrass and Thrawn and my little princess Thessia'."

"So when were you planning on telling her if not before today?" Thrass asked, swinging the conversation back on topic. "At the ceremony itself?"

"To be honest I didn't think you'd get back to Csilla in time and I could plan it."

"You think I wouldn't do everything in my power as an Aristocra to get back for one of my children's bondings?" He put a hand on Thrawn's shoulder. "Now I don't think you've properly introduced me to this charming young woman."

"Vera this is Thesili. Father this is Vera." 

Thesili shook her hand. "A pleasure Vera. My apologies that you are being tethered to the most stubborn and hardheaded of my children." 

"The pleasure is mine, Aristocra." She said, still trying to process it all. "And stubborn and hardheaded or not I think Thrawn and I will get along just fine."

"No need for honorifics, Thesili is fine." 

_ Core name basis with an Aristocra. Being bonded to the adoptive son of an Aristocra. Will wonders never cease? _

The door chimed again.

"That would be my parents." Vera murmured as she went to answer it.

Sure enough her mother and father were waiting. 

“Hello Sweetie.” her mother greeted pulling her into a hug.

“Hi Mama,” she sighed, returning the hug. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Of course!”

“Thrawn’s father is here. Can you not make a scene about it?”

“Why would I do that?” her mother tutted.

“Because he’s an Aristocra.” Vera deadpanned.

As if to prove Vera’s point her mother let out a stifled squeak.

“I will keep your mother calm, my little sable,” her father said holding out the dress bag draped over his arm. “You have other things to worry about."

Her mother kept her composure as promised as she introduced them to Thesili.

"Thesili this is my father Miriv'arri'kirsch and my mother Amiz’meeka’serres."

After a few minutes of polite chatting Vera's father nudged her. 

"You should get dressed." He said. 

She nodded and looked at the clock. "Yeah, still have no idea what I'm doing with my hair."

Thrass nudged Thrawn playfully. "What are you going to do with your hair?"

Thrawn just rolled his eyes and murmured something about getting in the shower.

Sentinel meowed as Vera laid the dress bag down on the bed.

"Keep an eye on that Senny." She said shaking her hair from the towel.

The dress wasn't very fancy. Not something most would think is nice enough to get bonded in. Certainly not to a Commander in the Chiss Navy. But it was the nicest dress she had; tea length and mint green. But if nothing else Vera thought she looked alright in it.

Before trying to do something with her hair, she set about putting on some makeup.

Vera was trying to remember how to put mascara on when Thrawn came in from the shower. He already had his pants on and was still arguing with Thrass somehow.

"So…. Son of an Aristocra…." 

"I apologize." Thrawn said sheepishly as he tugged his undershirt on. "I should have told you."

"There are far worse things to hide from someone you've only known three days." She said teasingly. "But tell me how that happened."

"My father died shortly after I was born; less than a year. I don't remember him, Thrass does a little bit. It was just us and mother. When I was 5 my she and Thesili got bonded."

"What was she like?"

"Caring, hardworking, self sacrificing." Thrawn grew quiet. "She was much happier when she didn't need to worry about if we'd be able to eat the next week. And she and Father seemed very much in love." He slid his arms through his tunic sleeves but left the front open. "She died when I was 10."

Vera regretted asking now. "I'm sorry."

"You need not be, she had been very ill at the end." His voice was even but Vera saw the pain flash briefly across his face before he continued. "Besides we had Father. From day one he treated us no different than his own daughter." 

He joined Vera at the mirror, quietly, digging in a drawer to retrieve a thin, dark, almost blood red pencil. "In my opinion, Thesili  _ is _ my father plain and simple."

Vera hadn't even registered the pencil as eyeliner until he swiped a sharp, elegant line under each eye. It made him look fierce.

"War paint Commander?" Vera teased pinning her hair back from her face.

"Of a sort." He said, starting to fasten up his tunic as Vera dug in her box of shoes. "What about you? Any complicating secrets you wish to let me in on now?"

"Aren't all secrets complicating?" She responded.

Thrawn didn't answer, he was fighting with the top fastening of his tunic.

"Do you need some help?" She asked him, sliding her shoes on.

"If you wouldn't mind." He said. "I'm sure Thrass will be saying something about us taking our time."

He didn’t hear her cross the room and suddenly Vera was very close; her delicate fingers were pulling his hands from his collar. She seemed so warm. And Thrawn had the strange urge to put his arms around her. He didn't. He kept his arms at his sides as she stood on a surprisingly steady tiptoe.

"You bent the hook is all." She said bending it back into place and fastening it. "There."

"Thank you." He said quietly, still a bit thrown off how close she was.

"You're welcome." She said absentmindedly as she brushed some of Sentinel's fur off of him.

Thrawn looked like he was about to say something else before Thrass called from the other side of the door.

"You two can't hide in there all day."

"I know it doesn't seem like it." Thrawn muttered glaring at the door. "But Thrass and I do actually like being around each other."

Vera laughed "You're right it doesn't seem like it."

He sighed and started for the door. "Shall we get this circus started?"

"The sooner we start it the sooner it will be over." She muttered and followed him.

"Well don't you two look nice." her mother said beaming.

“And I got you something,” Her father said, pulling something from his pocket. “Was saving this for your birthday but now’s as good a time.”

It was a necklace; a little silver animal head suspended on a spiderweb thin chain. It had big round ears and sharp little needle fangs that peaked out of it’s pointed snout. It was a sable. One of the pole cat-like creatures that actually survived up on Csilla’s surface.

“Because you’ll always be our little sable.” He told her, clasping the chain around her neck.

“Thank you Papa, it's beautiful.”

"Sable?” Thesili parroted. “That’s a unique nickname.”

Thrawn saw Vera suddenly go very still.

“It’s from when she was a youngling, she was always a feisty and cunning child,” Vera’s father said, apparently not perturbed by Thesili’s comment. “It just stuck.”

Vera nodded. “Well I think it’s about time we get going.”

“Let me get a quick holo of you two first!”

“Must you Mother?” Vera sighed. “It’s not like this is the fairytale bonding most people have."

"But I would like just one holo of my daughter on her bonding day." her mother countered. "And I'd like to be able to show off my new son-in-law."

"Alright, fine." She sighed again and tucked her arm through Thrawn's and doing her best imitation of cozying up.

"If it's any consolation, you two look very cute together."

They managed to get one where it didn't look like Thrawn and Vera were grimacing from Thrass's poorly concealed giggling.

"I'd very much like a copy of that." Thrawn heard his father whisper to Vera's mother as they left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there is no basis for Thrawn and Thrass being the adoptive sons of an Aristocra but I said FUCK IT lets rooooooll.
> 
> Sable's are adorable cousins of the pine marten that live in Russia I love them. And who knows maybe theres more behind Vera's nickname after all she never answered Thrawn's question bout having secrets.... ;}
> 
> Feel free to bother me on twitter (@mooseontheshell) discord (mooseonthehalfshell #4398) or tiktok (mooseonthehalfshell)


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